The Humboldt Association of Canada has extended the deadline for the submission of abstracts to the Kolleg themed ‘Transitions’ to October 15, 2018. The details of the Kolleg, which will be held at the University of Ottawa from May 9 to May 11, 2019, can be found here. Abstracts may be submitted here.

The Humboldt Association of Canada is now accepting abstracts for a Kolleg themed ‘Transitions’, to be held in the University of Ottawa from May 9 to May 11, 2019. The details of the Kolleg can be found here. The abstract submission deadline is September 15, 2018. Abstracts may be submitted here.

The zoologist, biologist, primate researcher and Canada Research Chair Prof. Colin A. Chapman of Mcgill University has been chosen to receive the Konrad Adenauer Research Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Read the news article on the Humboldt Foundation website by clicking here.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) cordially invites DAAD alumni, current grantees, partners and friends to a reception on Monday, April 23rd from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Campbell Conference Facility, South House, The Munk School of Global Affairs (1 Devonshire Place, Toronto).

This event will be an opportunity to bid farewell to Dr. Alexandra Gerstner, Director of the DAAD Information Centre Toronto, who will be returning to the DAAD Head Office in Bonn this summer.

Prior to the reception itself, we will present a short program (from 6:00 to 7:00 pm) looking at developments in the area of academic cooperation between Germany and Canada. This section of the evening will be moderated by Ms. Myka Burke, Vice-President of the DAAD Alumni Association Canada and feature contributions from:

Prof. Alice Kuzniar, University Research Chair and Professor of German and English at University of Waterloo was awarded the Hans-Walz Research prize by the Robert Bosch Foundation in recognition of her work on the history of homeopathy and her book, The Birth of Homeopathy Out of the Spirit of Romanticsm.

Prof. Frank W. Stahnisch has published a new book with Prof. Gül. A. Russell on the forced migration of neuroscientists during and after the Second World War:

Stahnisch, F.W. and Russell, G.A. (eds.): “Forced Migration in the History of 20th-Century Neuroscience and Psychiatry – New Perspectives”. London, England: Routledge 2017.

Description

The forced migration of neuroscientists, both during and after the Second World War, is of growing interest to international scholars. Of particular interest is how the long-term migration of scientists and physicians has affected both the academic migrants and their receiving environments. As well as the clash between two different traditions and systems, this migration forced scientists and physicians to confront foreign institutional, political, and cultural frameworks when trying to establish their own ways of knowledge generation, systems of logic, and cultural mentalities.

The twentieth century has been called the century of war and forced-migration, since it witnessed two devastating world wars, prompting a massive exodus that included many neuroscientists and psychiatrists. Fascism in Italy and Spain beginning in the 1920s, Nazism in Germany and Austria between the 1930s and 1940s, and the impact of the Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe all forced more than two thousand researchers with prior education in neurology, psychiatry, and the basic brain research disciplines to leave their scientific and academic home institutions. This edited volume, comprising of eight chapters written by international specialists, reflects on the complex dimensions of intellectual migration in the neurosciences and illustrates them by using relevant case studies, biographies, and historical surveys.

‘TIME‘ Kolleg Report as prepared by Prof. C-W Chow, HAC President and Kolleg Organizer
The Kolleg focused on the theme of „Time“ held in Toronto from May 5-8 was highly successful, bringing together a total 95 scholars which included 31 Early Career Scholars, 12 Other Scholars and 22 DAAD alumni. The expenses related to the 22 DAAD Alumni are covered by a separate grant from the DAAD. Thus, the costs of the 73 participants who are not DAAD Alumni are counted in the in the funding request to the AvH.
Feedback from all attendees of the conference were universally positive. There were several factors which contributed to the success of the programme.1. The choice of ‚Time‘ as a central theme.
The theme allowed participation of scholars from a wide range of disciplines, with enthusiastic response to our initial call for papers. Indeed, several submissions, late in the planning of the conference, could not be fitted into the programme due to constraints within the 3-day programme. As evidenced by the papers presented, this Kolleg showcased a truly multi-disciplinary academic exchange amongst scholars at throughout the conference.2. The 3-day duration of the conference.
Three full days allowed for scheduling of general sessions with talks from scholars across disciplines to facilitate multi-disciplinary exchange. The concurrent session, which were programmed with speakers within the same/similardisciplines allowed for more indepth content-specific discussions. Moreover, as can be seen in the attached programme, all sessions included talks from both early and established scholars with the view of generating and fostering discussions amongst potential mentors and mentees. The duration of the meeting also allowed for ample time during breaks to allow discussions initiated within sessions to continue at more informal settings.3. The venue.
The Campbell Conference Centre, embedded in the Munk School of Global Affairs, was specifically chosen to foster discussion and networking. Designed in the tradition of Oxford University College quadrants with the meeting rooms at each side of the central quadrant, the open spaces in the quadrant (both indoor and outdoor) with benches and tables allowed for conversations in an informal setting throughout the 3 days of the conferences. Indeed, the both indoor and outdoor spaces were much used by the delegates for conversations during the breaks throughout the meeting.4. Participation of 31 Early Career Scholars.
A concerted effort was made via contact with the DAAD, AvH alumni, personal meetings with Post-Graduate Training Offices and International Relations Offices of the many universities in Ontario and Quebec to invite Early Career Scholars to the Kolleg. Our success in recruiting 31 Early Career Scholars was compounded by their active engagement as Speakers, Session Chairs and Round-Table Discussion Leaders. The feedback from these Early Career Scholars was outstanding with at least 3 who are now stimulated to actively pursue further research studies in Germany.5. The bus excursion to the wineries and dinner in the Niagara region on Saturday afternoon and evening.
The setting allowed for much lively conversation amongst and between participating scholars that was evident throughout the afternoon and evening. Despite the late hour (with the bus arriving back in Toronto near midnight), the noise level on the bus was testimony of
the lively discussions amongst the delegates that continued well after our dinner round table discussions.

It is with great sadness and deepest sympathy that the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation bids farewell to its long-term Secretary General, Dr Heinrich Pfeiffer, who died suddenly in the midst of a full life on 22 December 2016 at the age of 89.
In the last few days, we have received many messages of sympathy from all over the world, bearing witness to the many old friendships he maintained and the great respect in which he was held worldwide. Without Heinrich Pfeiffer, the Humboldt Foundation would not be what it is today, and without him, the Humboldt Family would not have developed as it has! In the current weeks, his life’s work is being honoured once again in the many memories being sent to us by Humboldtians everywhere.
In order, once again, to showcase and share these memories and the enormous importance of Heinrich Pfeiffer for you personally and for the Humboldt Network as a whole, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has opened an electronic Book of Condolence at https://www.humboldt-foundation.de/web/condolence-heinrich-pfeiffer.html. If you wish, you can take the opportunity to add your own words of farewell.